Something that has caught the interest of some readers, is the age of characters in the Cardcaptor Sakura series.
Some have noticed discrepancies within the series as well as real-world applications.
The explanation of a characters' age throughout the anime and/or manga can be lengthy; this page is meant to break down the characters' age with evidence. This page is also to keep the trivia sections of characters' pages a little more tidy.
WARNING: The age differences between certain characters is a sensitive topic for some readers/editors. Please be respectful of others' opinions and beliefs; and remember that these characters are fictional beings.
Sakura Kinomoto[]
Despite possible timeline inconsistencies for either the anime or manga versions, she was confirmed to be 13 in the Clear Card arc by the official CCS app and Sakura’s Japanese voice actress, Sakura Tange. This includes her official age conflicting with that of a real-world basis.[1]
As early as Chapter 5, Touya stated that he was 10 years old when Sakura was 3.[2] Which would make their age difference about the difference in that length of time, this fact also lines up with Touya being in college in the Clear Card Arc.
Syaoran Li[]
Despite possible timeline inconsistencies for either the anime or manga versions, Sakura's age was confirmed to be 13 in Clear Card arc's start by the official CCS app and Sakura’s Japanese voice actress, Sakura Tange. Going by this, Syaoran would be around the same age, plus a bit older—due to his birthday being July 13, while Sakura's is April 1st.
In Japan, the Japanese school system begins in April and ends in March; thus, Syaoran would age before Sakura does, as Sakura wouldn't age until the next April 1.
However, since Syaoran started school in Hong Kong where the school year begins in August, he may be younger than Sakura. If he and Sakura were born the same year, Sakura would have been 6 in time to start the 1st grade in April, and Syaoran would have been 6 in time to start 1st grade in August. This means at the start of the series when Sakura is starting the first trimester of 4th grade, Syaoran would have been in Hong Kong in the last trimester of 3rd grade. When he joins Sakura's class at the start of the second trimester, he would have just completed 3rd grade in Hong Kong and joining the 4th grade class behind a trimester.
Touya Kinomoto[]
As early as Chapter 5, he states he was 10 years old when Sakura was 3.[2]
Sakura's confirmed by her voice actress, Sakura Tange, and the Clear Card app to be 13 at the start of Clear Card Arc; despite her age being conflicting with a real-world basis.[1] This age would conflict with not only her own, but everyone else's as well, meaning Touya would be 17 instead of 16 earlier on in the series.
When he dated Kaho, Kaho was his student teacher; not yet a professional teacher—she would not meet Eriol until she was later in college in England. Touya dated her before she left for college in England, only just beginning seeing her in 8th grade. Due to the aforementioned "conflicting age" issue, he would be a year older than a real-world system during this point of the "timeline" as well. Since Japanese students typically leave high school and later begin college at around age 18; that would apply to a pre-college-aged Kaho as well; thus, their age difference is unlikely to be more than 4-5 years.
Similarly to the "conflicting age" issue, Touya confirms he is in college during Clear Card arc.[3] Because he was previously in high school during the previous series, he would have just started college by the Clear Card arc.
Kaho Mizuki[]
If Kaho was not yet 20, she also would have not yet reached the "age of adulthood"—20, in Japan[4]—thus technically being considered a minor during the time.
Despite all of this, Kaho's age is not confirmed exactly during this point of the series; only Touya being in 8th grade around that age at the very start. It might be of note that she and Touya both share birthdays in February, which occur towards the end of a typical Japanese school year—begins in April and ends with the next year's March.
Rika Sasaki[]
Because Sakura Kinomoto's age was confirmed to be 13 (going-on-14) in the Clear Card arc—despite conflicting with a real-world basis[1]—, Rika's age would be 1 year older early on as well, due to her birthday being in June and Sakura's being April 1st.
Rika's birthday of June 24 occurs not long after the school year and series' beginning, aging her a year older very early on.
Rika's birthday is also stated—by herself—as passing in between the start of the school year[5]—where it is stated to be winter—and implied close to Yukito Tsukishiro's birthday—December 25th.
It would pass again as more years passed in the manga and/or anime, and during any time early summer—June 24—passed. This would likely include Clear Card arc, during the summer time frame.
Eriol Hiiragizawa[]
Although Eriol physically looks Sakura Kinomoto's age, he is in reality much older having used magic to remain young so as to be Sakura's classmate when the time came to transform the Clow Cards. His true physical age as of the Clear Card arc is "unknown", he may have celebrated birthdays since.
His birthday being in March, comes before Sakura's birthday of April 1st—where the series approximately begins. Per the Japanese school system, his presented "age" may reflect whichever grade Sakura is currently in, while not turning a year older until the next year's March.